Empty Meadow
by harmonyhadafallout
Summary: It was the silence that unsettled him. He didn't know what he would find and who or what would hear him. Keeping them alive meant not abandoning the rules of safety to which they'd adapted, but those rules didn't mean anything if she was dead. USS Caryl Emotion Challenge.


**A/N: **This is my entry for the USS Caryl Emotion Challenge. I put the emotion I used for inspiration at the end of the fic. Thanks for reading!

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Something felt off about the day.

He should've appreciated the almost infinite breeze inhibiting the blistering heat that had settled upon them before dawn had even arrived. He should've openly welcomed the peacefulness that had accompanied him as he hiked through the forest. And, because of this, he should have been ecstatic to see the small woodland game brazenly scurrying and hopping about as though there was nothing to fear.

But it was the silence that unsettled him. He couldn't remember the last time he hadn't encountered some form of threat, be it walkers, wanderers who he'd learned were just easier to avoid, or the lack of living creatures to hunt. The cracking of twigs and disrupted leaves from two squirrels taking turns chasing one another piqued his desire to shake the sour feeling in his gut.

Squatting to the ground, he watched them for a moment as they darted back and forth, one daring the other to keep up. They'd go around and around before stopping suddenly to stare each other down before taking off again. Daryl snorted softly before raising his crossbow to set the squirrels in his sight.

Exhaling slowly, he waited for them to stop once more and continue their staring contest. But when one abruptly sat up, ears twitching, Daryl lowered his weapon. Before he could turn his head even an inch, the squirrels darted away, quickly scaling the nearest tree.

"Goddammit!" Daryl spat, standing up and watching his prey climb higher and higher. He raised a hand to shield his eyes but finally lost the small creatures to the sunlight. "Well, shit."

Reaching up to wipe the sweat from his forehead, Daryl contemplated staying out to see what else he might come across. He didn't much feel like tracking anything, especially since his uneasiness was beginning to return. The thought of spending the day in the solitude of the woods was generally comforting, but not being able to quell the unexplainable apprehension that had made its home in his chest was irritating him.

"Fuck it," he muttered, shaking his head and slinging the bow over his shoulder. Turning around, he began his trek back through the woods, making his way toward the brightly lit edge of the forest. Though the trees offered a decent amount of shade it seemed like they just held all the humidity in, trying to suffocate any living thing that dared enter the forest. As much as Daryl reveled in being in the cover of the woodlands, the thought of escaping the thickness of the air was almost exciting to him. Imagining fresh, dry air filling his lungs as he broke free from the trees into the meadow helped soothe the tightness in his chest and made him pick up his pace.

He could see the empty field through the trees just up ahead and the mugginess was just getting to be too much. Breaking into a jog, he watched the ground, being careful not to catch any twigs or rocks. Just as he began pushing through a patch of ferns, a short scream pierced the air. Recognizing the voice immediately he recklessly sped up, disregarding the upturned roots that snagged his foot and sent him tumbling to the ground.

"Shit shit shit!" Daryl pushed himself up quickly, hands covered in dirt, and continued bounding towards the forest's edge.

It was taking everything to keep himself from calling her name. No matter what, he knew how stupid it would be. He didn't know what he would find and who or what would hear him. Keeping them alive meant not abandoning the rules of safety to which they'd adapted, but those rules didn't mean anything if she was dead. Still, he held his tongue and dashed towards the light.

_She's not dead._

The unfiltered daylight as he stumbled from the woods blinded him almost immediately, but he forced his squinting eyes to sweep across the horizon. Sprinting had left him breathless and he sucked in the air he'd been so desperately craving just ten minutes ago, but now his lungs just felt burnt and exhausted. He didn't see her anywhere.

He'd left her at the lone dogwood tree that sat beside the road they'd taken earlier that day before pulling over to stretch their legs. She'd made some comment as they'd walked across the field about how she'd always wanted a flowering tree in her backyard under which to read and then she'd startled rambling about gardening. Now he felt sick with regret that he'd only been half listening to her, instead focusing on getting to the forest. He'd only thrown her a glance over his shoulder as he stepped into the thicket, just in time to see her reach up and touch one of the tree's petals.

Daryl's head was spinning and his heart was racing and he didn't care anymore.

"Carol!" his voice cracked as he took off towards the tree. "Please, please..."

A chill of relief swept over him as she peeked around from the other side of the tree, but the feeling was fleeting as worry overtook him. Where would he find the bite? What was he going to have to do?

"Hey - -"

"Where is it?" Daryl gasped, feeling more out of breath than ever as he finally reached her. He put a hand on her shoulder to try and steady his breathing, his eyes darting everywhere as he searched for the unknown assailant.

"Where's what?" Carol questioned, her face contorting in confusion as she glanced at his hand on her shoulder.

"Where's what? Where's the goddamned walker?" Daryl questioned, a hint of agitation slipping into his voice as he cocked an eyebrow. Her face didn't show any fear or distress and her relaxed, albeit perplexed, state was throwing him off.

"Did you see a walker?" Carol was baffled as she watched the winded man wander around the tree. He finally stopped walking and stared at her for a moment before leaning forward and placing his hands on his knees to catch his breath. Carol peered across the meadow towards the woods, then over her shoulder to check the road. Her face still twisted in bewilderment, she crossed her arms and looked back at her companion who had just barely regained his composure. She didn't know why, but the sight of Daryl Dixon out of breath made her laugh.

Daryl's face scrunched into a glare at the woman before him. "What's so funny?"

Carol shook her head and chuckled, "Just don't want you to go getting old on me now. Do we need to find you an inhaler?"

Less than amused, Daryl mimicked her posture, tightly crossing his arms across his chest. "What the hell are you out here screamin' for? I thought somethin' happened!"

Dropping her hands to her hips, Carol bit her lip and wondered how to answer his inquiries without continuing to aggravate him. With a sigh she finally responded, "A spider."

An incredulous look swept over Daryl's face before demanding, "A spider? _Spider_?"

Carol threw her hands up in exasperation and walked around the tree to avoid his stare. "It was a big spider!"

Daryl groaned quietly and rubbed his hands over his eyes. "You got me out there scared you got bit or someone came across you or somethin' and it just ends up bein' a fuckin' spider."

Sighing deeply, he walked towards the beat up car that he knew was bound to fail at some point in the near future. "C'mon, we best get goin' before anymore bugs attack you."

Carol smirked as she watched him open the driver side door. Following him to the car and opening her door she quipped, "Yeah, wouldn't want you to pass out coming to my rescue anymore, old man."

Daryl rolled his eyes and quickly got in, slamming the door twice before it finally clicked shut. Maybe it'd fall apart before dying. Carol being able to get in the car and shut her door with ease caused him to roll his eyes again. But when she glanced up at him with that smile all the uneasy feelings that had plagued him while he was apart from her faded away. He snickered as he started the car. "You'd be a horrible gardener. Scared of _spiders_."

"You'd save me though."

Daryl snorted and shrugged his shoulders as they pulled away from the meadow. "Yeah, guess I'd have to."

Grinning, Carol reached over to run a hand through his disheveled hair. "As long as it doesn't involve running, right, Gray?"

"Better stop callin' me that," Daryl grumbled, glaring at his reflection in the rearview mirror.

Carol's hand slid down the side of his face and she rubbed his cheek with her thumb, trying to remove a smear of dirt he'd left there earlier. She could see that he was watching her from the corner of his eye and she smiled. "Would you prefer Handsome?"

"Stop," he mumbled as she laughed. He was fighting a losing battle with his mouth not to smile. Glancing over at Carol when she dropped her hand from his face, he took in as much about her as he could before having to look back to the road ahead of them.

Daryl shook his head and pursed his lips before slowing the car to a halt.

"Forget something?" Carol questioned, glancing to the back seat then up at him.

"Yeah," he responded, putting his arm around her shoulder and pulling her towards him before pressing his lips to hers. He brought his other hand up to softly hold the side of her face and Carol smiled against his lips. Finally breaking their kiss, Daryl leaned his forehead against hers and breathed deeply, closing his eyes. After a moment, Carol kissed his forehead and pulled back to study his features, smoothing his hair with her hand. His mouth upturned into a small smile as he started the car once more.

"Love you, Handsome."

"You too, Scaredy Cat."

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**Emotion: **Fear, whether serious or irrational, is what inspired this fic for me.


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